How to Choose Golf Courses Around Mt. Fuji

When choosing golf courses around Mt. Fuji, the real challenge is not the number of courses available, but how to balance pedigree, actual playing difficulty, and the flow of a three-round itinerary. Anyone who has practical experience running golf trips in Japan will quickly realize that course level and difficulty often shape the rhythm and overall enjoyment of the journey far more than price alone. Choosing golf courses around Mt. Fuji is ultimately about balancing prestige, difficulty, and itinerary flow—especially when planning a three-round golf trip.

From different sides of the mountain, each golf course reveals a different face of Mt. Fuji.

Around Mt. Fuji, there are only a small number of courses that have truly been validated by major tournaments and long-standing history. Notable examples include Kawana Hotel Golf Course – Fuji Course（川奈飯店高爾夫球場 富士球場） and Fujizakura Country Club（富士櫻カントリー倶楽部）, both well known for hosting major professional tournaments in Japan. These courses are considered prestigious not because of price or reputation alone, but because they were designed from the outset for high-intensity competitive play. Green speed, contouring, wind exposure, and strategic demands are all clearly above those of typical resort-style courses. In real play, the perceived difficulty is high, requiring consistent ball-striking and reliable short-game skills. This is why such courses are best positioned as the highlight of an itinerary, rather than something most players would want to repeat day after day.

Within Japan’s golf culture, difficulty is rarely communicated through a single numeric metric such as Slope Rating, which is common in Western markets. Instead, difficulty is understood through tournament usage, green setups, and accumulated feedback from experienced players. As a result, seasoned planners do not simply ask whether a course is famous, but whether it is appropriate for a particular group. If all three rounds are scheduled at high-difficulty, tournament-level courses, physical and mental fatigue accumulates quickly, and pricing rises disproportionately due to limited tee-time flexibility, course conditions, and routing constraints.

Viewed from Narusawa Golf Club, the northern side of Mt. Fuji feels calm, balanced, and visually stable.

For this reason, well-designed Mt. Fuji golf itineraries intentionally introduce variation in difficulty rather than stacking prestigious names. Fuji Classic Golf Club（富士經典高爾夫俱樂部） is a good example. While it does not host a fixed Japan Tour event, it achieves an excellent balance between course design quality, Mt. Fuji scenery, and overall playability. Its perceived difficulty sits in the upper-middle range—challenging enough to remain engaging, yet not so demanding that it drains players. Positioned as the middle round of a three-round itinerary, it often helps the entire trip feel smoother and more sustainable.

The same logic applies to Susono Country Club（裾野カンツリー倶楽部） and Taiheiyo Club Gotemba Course（太平洋クラブ 御殿場コース）. Susono, which has hosted the Japan Open, places heavy emphasis on precision and strategic decision-making and is considered more demanding, yet its challenge comes from solid, honest design rather than artificial severity. Taiheiyo Gotemba takes a different approach: course conditions are extremely consistent, difficulty is carefully controlled, and the overall experience is highly predictable. In real-world itineraries, it is often selected as a reliable and stress-free round. These courses are not the center of a prestige narrative, but they are essential components of professional itinerary design.

Once course difficulty is properly factored into planning, the logic behind choosing golf courses around Mt. Fuji becomes clear. One round at a course with proven tournament history and genuine difficulty is more than enough to define the character of the trip. The remaining rounds should prioritize stable conditions, sensible routing, and physical comfort. This approach is not a compromise, but a recognition that playing well, staying comfortably, and still having time each day to appreciate Mt. Fuji is what most travelers ultimately seek.

If this is your first time playing golf around Mt. Fuji, including at least one truly prestigious or tournament-level course is absolutely worthwhile. However, for a three-round itinerary, giving course difficulty and pacing equal importance to reputation is often the key to maintaining quality from the first tee shot to the final day. This is why learning how to choose golf courses around Mt. Fuji matters far more than simply selecting the most famous names. A truly memorable Mt. Fuji golf trip is not one where players remember how much they were tested, but one that leaves them wanting to return.

For more practical insights on Mt. Fuji golf courses and itinerary planning, please refer to all articles on our BLOG.

FAQ 1

How many golf rounds are ideal around Mt. Fuji?

Three rounds are ideal, allowing one prestigious or tournament-level course and two well-balanced courses to maintain pace and enjoyment.

FAQ 2

Are Mt. Fuji golf courses very difficult?

Difficulty varies widely. Some tournament venues are demanding, while many courses offer stable, mid-range difficulty suitable for travel-focused golfers.

FAQ 3

Should all rounds be played at prestigious courses?

No. Stacking only high-difficulty courses often leads to fatigue and higher costs. Variation in difficulty creates a better overall experience.

FAQ 4

Is Mt. Fuji suitable for first-time Japan golf travelers?

Yes, with proper course selection. Balancing one iconic course with comfortable, well-routed rounds is key.